ChatGPT has officially hit one billion monthly app users! This update is according to estimates from Sensor Tower and this milestone comes less than four years (3.5 to be exact) after OpenAI launched ChatGPT back in 2022.
Sensor Tower said ChatGPT got to that level way faster than any other app in history. Google Maps previously held the record and needed around five years after launch before reaching a billion monthly users.
OpenAI said in February that ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users across web and mobile. The company also said ChatGPT generated more than six times the monthly web visits and mobile sessions of the next largest AI platform.
ChatGPT continues to lead the AI app market, but rival services are picking up users pretty fast. Sensor Tower data showed Claude recorded user growth of 640% year on year. Meta AI recorded user growth of 973% during that time, while ChatGPT recorded growth of 62%.
Abe Yousef, Senior Insights Analyst at Sensor Tower, told CNBC that model improvements and public sentiment have influenced usage patterns. “While negative sentiment towards AI… is undeniably growing, consumers are increasingly using and relying on these platforms,” he said.
This is true. We are seeing industries and individuals adopt AI in huge numbers lately.
Which Apps Are Leading Global Download Charts?
Business of Apps reported that ChatGPT was the most downloaded app worldwide during 2025. The app recorded 770 million downloads, which puts it ahead of every social media, shopping and messaging platform.
- ChatGPT came in first globally with 770 million downloads. The app also topped both Apple’s App Store and Google Play during 2025.
- TikTok ranked second with 644 million downloads and kept first place for social media apps worldwide.
- Instagram secured third place with 521 million downloads. Facebook followed with 431 million downloads and WhatsApp followed with 405 million downloads.
- Temu ranked sixth overall with 363 million downloads. The shopping app finished ahead of Google Gemini, which recorded 354 million downloads.
- CapCut, Block Blast, Telegram and Snapchat completed the next group of highly downloaded apps. Each recorded hundreds of millions of downloads during the year.
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When comes to the different categories…
Entertainment: Spotify led with 215 million downloads.
Education: Duolingo led with 178 million downloads.
Travel: Uber led with 137 million downloads.
Dating: Tinder led with 60 million downloads.
Health and fitness: Flo led with 52 million downloads.
AI: ChatGPT led with 770 million downloads, ahead of Google Gemini on 354 million downloads.
Which Apps Are Leading In The UK?
Business of Apps reported that ChatGPT was also the most downloaded app in the UK during 2025. The app recorded 14 million downloads, which takes the lead over every rival.
- ChatGPT finished first with 14 million downloads. No other app reached even half that total.
- Google Gemini finished second with 6.1 million downloads. That result placed two AI apps at the top of the UK ranking.
- Temu secured third place with six million downloads after leading the UK charts during the previous year.
- GOV.UK One Login ranked fourth with 5.2 million downloads. GOV.UK ID Check also secured a place in the top ten.
- Block Blast and TikTok each recorded 4.6 million downloads.
- Ticketmaster followed with 4.4 million downloads.
- Vinted and GOV.UK ID Check each recorded 4.1 million downloads.
- CapCut completed the top ten with 3.9 million downloads.
The ranking is an indication of how AI apps have entered mainstream app usage in the UK. Earlier app charts usually had social media, shopping or entertainment services at the top but during 2025, AI apps took up the first and second spots.
YouGov data also shows which social platforms UK consumers view positively. YouTube and WhatsApp each recorded 85% popularity. Instagram recorded 56% popularity and Facebook recorded 54%. Reddit achieved 37%, LinkedIn achieved 35% and TikTok achieved 30%.
Downloads and popularity measure different things. One tracks installations, while the other tracks public opinion. And now, with ChatGPT surpassing a billion, it’d be interesting to see which AI companies push to beat that number.
